Rondout gets ready as enrollment rises

COTTEKILL — The results of kindergarten registration are in for mid-Hudson school districts and Rondout Valley couldn't be happier with the news of its increased kindgarten enrollment.

Pauline Liu

COTTEKILL — The results of kindergarten registration are in for mid-Hudson school districts and Rondout Valley couldn't be happier with the news of its increased kindgarten enrollment.

There are at least 40 more kids registered for this fall than expected.

"We came in higher and we're ecstatic," said Rondout Valley Superintendent Rosario Agostaro at a gathering in Cottekill on Monday night.

Having more students than anticipated does pose some problems, but it's nothing that the district can't handle. It currently has a total enrollment of more than 2,100 students.

"We are actually hiring back teachers from our last budget," school board member David O'Halloran said. "It's the first time in a decade and it's really great news."

District officials can only hope that the trend continues. If it does, they explained, there's still plenty of space for more students in Rondout Valley's five remaining school buildings.

Rondout Valley closed Rosendale Elementary last year in response to declining enrollment. The district is working on a deal to lease the building to the three towns of Rosendale, Marbletown and Rochester, which would offer some shared services. It is hoped that the building's reuse would serve as a model for the state as more schools are forced to close their doors.

"It's about being more efficient," said O'Halloran. "We're about 10 years from becoming more efficient."